\[Rosco's POV\]
I watch as William and Elise begin to run away as if they were two thieves fleeing a scene. The sight annoys the hell out of me, but I don't move to chase.
“There they go.” Marty chuckles, coming to stand beside me. “Should we chase?”
“Leave em be.” Jose chuckles, appearing behind us. “I'm assuming this is what you meant when you said if she was willing to help, huh?”
“Yeah,” I sigh, turning around and heading to the couch so I can take a seat. “If there is one thing that woman is good at, it is running.”
Growing quiet, I wait as Jose examines me. It is clear from his expression that he wants me to say more, but I don't speak.
“What's her story?” He finally asks. “And why is she so afraid of you?”
Afraid of me. I wasn't sure if that actually was what she was, but I guess it did come across like that.
“Honestly,” I respond, deciding there isn't any harm in letting Jose in on Elise's past misdeeds. “She is a criminal who was brought here to atone for her sins.”
“A criminal.” He repeats, looking amused. “You're actually allowing a criminal to walk free?”
“Only because she is useful to me.” I point output. “She is a strong warrior, and she is the only one who can see what the enemy is up to. Right now, I need her. Once all this is finished, though…”
“You'll throw her back in a cage?” Marty tries, his face darkening. “Or will you allow her to continue to be free like you did me?”
Frowning, I try to ignore the hurt that drips from Marty's words as I remember too late that he and Elise are quite similar. That was one of the main reasons I asked him to come all the way from Italy to here to watch her, but that wasn't my only reason. The other was that if she were to do anything out of line, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her.
“It all depends on her actions, and right now I'm not liking what I'm seeing.”
“Well,” Jose chuckles. “If I were in her shoes, I think I would have reacted the same way. A single woman surrounded by three men doesn't make for a fair fight. Isn't escaping the only plausible option? But tell me, who was the man that followed her out the window?”
“Another pain.” I huff, pinching the bridge of my nose.
Even if I pushed William to be more honest about his interest, I wasn't liking what I was seeing. At the time, I thought it may have just been a fascination with the wild woman in front of him, but now I was wondering if it could be something more. Something deeper that could end up destroying him in the end.
“This is fucking frustrating.” I growl as Marty and Jose watch me. “Why should I even give a shit about those two idiots and what they're doing?”
“Because your wife is making you soft.” Marty chuckles. “Since getting married, you've begun to change.”
“How was he before?” Jose asks curiously. “Was he anything like that bastard father of his?”
“Basically.”
“If you two are only going to discuss me, I'm going to leave.” I snap, getting up from my seat. “I'd much rather spend time with my family instead of two lonely men.”
“Aw, come on.” Marty laughs. “Why don't you stick around and have a few drinks?”
“Not interested.”
Ignoring Marty's huff of annoyance over me rejecting his offer, I make my way out and head straight for where Denali is waiting.
When I arrive, I find her sitting in a robe with her wet hair cascading around her body. Instantly, I feel my dick throb with desire as my eyes trail down her body to find that the top of the robe isn't fully closed, allowing me the perfect view of her cleavage.
“Done already?” She asks with a smirk, not missing my staring. “How did it go?”
“It didn’t.” I sigh, dropping down on the couch beside her and laying my head on her lap. “Elise fled when she was asked to show Jose her vision.”
“She fled?” Denali gasps, her eyes widening. “And you just let her? What if she ends up getting into trouble or…”
“William is with her.” I point out, my annoyance flaring over how much she actually cares for that criminal Elise. “So she will be fine.”
“William?” Denali repeats, curiosity flashing in her eyes. “So they're alone somewhere right now.”
“That is the gist of it.” I respond, turning over and wrapping my arms around her while burying my face in her stomach.
“You don't sound too pleased.”
Didn't sound pleased. Well, I guess I sounded how I felt. I wasn't pleased with William's growing interest for many reasons. Even if Elise was working to turn over a new leaf, she was still a criminal, and as such, she would never truly be able to walk freely. She would forever be a ward of Emerald Moon, putting her life on the line for our pack to atone for all the pain and suffering she caused. But I couldn't say this to Denali, not right now when she had so much more to focus on.
“You don't have to try to hide your feelings from me.” Denali murmurs, running her fingers through my hair. “Even if I asked you to spare Elise, I do understand that she is still a criminal, and that fact alone won't change. I also understand that if anyone was bad for William, it would be her, given his future position as alpha, but I also believe that it isn't your place to worry about any of this. William and Elise are both adults, and as such, they can make their own choices. The most we can do is sit back and wait to see how all of this plays out.”
Lifting my gaze, I stare into Denali’s eyes as I once again find myself feeling so fucking blessed to have such a woman in my life. Even after everything she went through, she was able to be positive and look at the bright side of things.
“How did I get so lucky to find you?” I ask, sitting up and pressing my forehead against hers.
“Maybe you collected a lot of good karma in your past lives.” She giggles, cupping my neck. “Or maybe I was the one who did that to be able to stand beside a man like you.”
A man like me? She had to be out of her mind. I was a selfish bastard who abandoned her for the first six months of our marriage and then assaulted her the minute I came back.
“Mi reina,” I sigh. “You really aren’t a good judge of character.”
Even though I meant it in a joking manner, I don’t miss the flash of hurt that appears in Denali’s eyes.
“I’m just saying that you always try to see the good in everyone.” I continue.
“I don’t.” She counters. “If I was faced with the option to save my father, I would stand back and watch him die, as I would for a few others.”
“I won’t leave you to make that choice.” I assure her. “I would make sure you won’t have to watch something like that, and I promise you I would be the one to end him.”
In the end, that was our ultimate goal in our current battle. It was either kill or be killed, and I didn’t intend to be killed. Instead, I was going to be the one to end that bastard Roger with my own hands. I also intended to be the one to kill each and every one of those cloaked fuckers who were threatening not only my child but even my pack and family.
“I wouldn’t ask that of you.” Denali says softly. “And in the end, I want to be the one to do it.” She continues, taking me by surprise. “I can’t say for certain, but I feel that he was the one responsible for my mother’s illness and her inability to get better.”
Eyes widening, I let her words settle over me, as for the first time since we had been together, she was speaking of her mother’s death. Even though I knew she died when she was young and that she was very sick in her last years, I didn’t know that Denali felt her father was responsible for it.
“Are you saying he slowly poisoned her?” I ask, treading lightly. “What makes you think that?”